May 5, 2025
OIG Report Calls for Stronger Oversight of Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness
A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) finds that many state survey agencies need more support to effectively evaluate whether nursing homes are ready for emergencies.
According to the report, many state surveyors lack emergency preparedness training when they begin their jobs. Many state agencies also struggle to hire and keep staff with the right experience. The guidance provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses mostly on whether nursing homes have the correct paperwork rather than on whether their emergency plans are actually useful or well thought out.
The report also notes that some state agencies have gone beyond CMS requirements by partnering with emergency response experts and developing their own tools to assess nursing home preparedness more thoroughly.
The OIG recommends that CMS improve surveyor training and encourage more collaboration between state survey agencies and emergency preparedness partners. CMS has agreed with these suggestions and is expected to take action.
Read the full report: OIG Report on Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness.
